Locals have raised concerns about plans to temporarily relocate a market in Thornbury from the High Street to a nearby car park. The move will take place while South Gloucestershire Council carries out works to the High Street.
The Artisan Food, Craft and Gift Market takes place every fourth Saturday of the month, and could soon move to St Mary Street car park instead. Organisers are applying for a street trading licence from the council for up to 40 traders, from 10am to 3pm.
A decision is due to be made on granting the licence later this week. Councillors on the licensing sub-committee will hear from organisers and locals about the plans, on Friday, April 21, when they will decide whether to grant the licence and allow the temporary relocation.
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But four locals are objecting due to concerns of “public nuisance”, mainly due to the loss of parking spaces in the car park. Writing to the council, they said that the reducing number of parking spaces across the town has left some people choosing to shop elsewhere.
One resident said: “Our first concern is that it will take up so many of the car parking spaces. The parking area behind the NatWest bank was built on some years ago, there is now no on-street parking on the High Street, and the main Rock Street car park currently has very few spaces.
“Where are people to park to use the shops in the St Mary Centre and the High Street, and even to use these proposed stalls? Lack of parking is one of the reasons why, anecdotally, many people are now choosing to shop elsewhere.”
A local business owner added: “There is already a significant lack of parking for people in Thornbury. We know from listening to our customers that they find it very difficult to park near our salon, and they are often late due to the challenges of parking. This has led to some of our clients cancelling their appointments and moving their business outside of Thornbury.”
However, another resident wrote the council to support the licence application. They said the market was a “valuable asset” to Thornbury, and the council should try to keep it in the town.
The resident said: “I understand this to be a temporary situation and the market will return to the High Street when works are finished. This is completely reasonable and should be approved. The market is a valuable asset to the town, and every effort should be made to keep it.”
